Who is the happiest person in Hong Kong? Well, according to a ream of happiness studies both locally and internationally, we should have some idea of what she looks like. First of all, she’s a she. She’s between 65 and 70 years old. Let’s call her Mrs. Ng (she’s married, of course). Mrs. Ng eats a diet of bananas, oily fish and turkey, and she never uses a parasol when the sun is out. And, somehow, through some crazy legal loophole, she’s able to vote in the next Chief Executive election. She drinks, but only in moderation, she goes to a church, she exercises (but doesn’t think she’s fat), - and she has lots and lots of sex, but no kids. So how can you achive Mrs. Ng levels of happiness? Work hard… but not too hard According to Dr. Sonya Yuen-wah Law, one of Hong Kong’s leading clinical psychologists, there is a significant correlation between job satisfaction and life satisfaction. People feel happiest when they regularly receive an optimal level of stimulation, have positive social relationships and a sense of identity – in other words they love their job and they’re good at it. Fellow, clinical psychologist at Fullife Psychological Practice, Dr. Sarah Ip, agrees that a good route to happiness is pursuing a fulfilling career. “Being happy is more than doing what feels good,” she explains. “It is also about doing things that make you feel good about yourself as a person.” On the other hand, numerous studies have proven that placing too much emphasis on your career can lead to exhaustion and depression. Achieving a balanced work/home life is a persistent issue in Hong Kong, where long working hours are common. A study conducted by Dr. Richard Welford at the University of Hong Kong took 1,000 randomly selected employees in Hong Kong and tested them for stress, fitness and general well being while questioning them about their work-life balance. The results were alarming – according to the survey, the average working week in Hong Kong is 55 hours and 80 percent of the participants were regularly working unpaid overtime. Meanwhile, 75 percent of respondents suffered from work-related stress or lack of exercise, while 45 percent of respondents reported exhaustion and 33 percent experienced depression. The study identified a key problem with the Hong Kong work ethic: 40 percent of people admitted to working less hard during official working hours because they knew they would still be expected to stay late regardless. More troubling, it was also discovered that those who worked late were considerably less happy than those who sought a more even work/life balance. “There were two key points we discovered from this study. Firstly, that Hong Kong has an unusually large amount of working hours and secondly, that a great deal of the time, people were merely putting in these hours because they felt expected to do so – not because they needed to, to get their jobs done.” So, work hard during the day - but go home at night. Exercise for fitness, not just to lose weight Dr. Richard Welford’s study into the Hong Kong work ethic also revealed another worrying insight into our population. His results proved that the lowest priority for many of the workers he interviewed was fitness, and a massive 75 percent of participants were suffering both in body and mind due to a lack of exercise. And yet it is widely understood that exercising improves your mood due to those all-important happy hormones. Endorphins are morphine-like hormone molecules that enter the brain’s neurons and position themselves on receptors that normally send pain-signaling molecules back to other parts of the brain. These are the same receptors that opiate drugs such as morphine play on in the brain, and as a result are highly affective at lifting mood. A burst of exercise can even lead you to experience what’s known as a “runner’s high,” a mood lift, which has been known to be as effective a pain killer as morphine. Maintaining a high level of fitness also helps fight diseases, battles stress and levels out mood swings. As Ms.Ip explains, “Depressed patients are always advised to do some form of exercise.” But do you need to turn into a gym bunny to have a shot at optimum happiness? According to scientists, just 30 minutes of exercise a day can drastically improve happiness. Many activities may prove beneficial, but research suggests the most effective exercises in improving mood levels are rhythmic activities that work all the major muscle groups and are moderately strenuous, such as jogging, swimming, cycling and walking. Studies also have shown that mentally stimulating exercise - martial arts, for example - promote positive mood changes, especially as the participants’ skill levels improve. Indeed, the real problem for most people seems to be the motivation to exercise. “If you exercise to lose weight rather than for health reasons, you are far more likely to quit when the weight doesn’t drop off,” explains Ip. “It is important to choose an exercise that you enjoy, or add extra motivation to your exercise regime.” Democracy or not? A recent opinion poll conducted by HKU revealed that the level of trust residents feel towards the Hong Kong government has risen to 68.8 percent, the highest it has been since the handover. Indeed, a massive 75 percent of people said they were satisfied with their lives in Hong Kong and 67 percent of people want Donald Tsang to run for a second term. However, perhaps we don’t know just how happy we can be. A groundbreaking study conducted in Switzerland by two psychology professors demonstrated a direct correlation between the level of local democracy individuals have and their general feeling of happiness. Professors Bruno Frey and Alois Stutzer interviewed 6,000 residents of Switzerland to determine their “happiness rating.” Switzerland is divided into 26 different regions that allow their residents varying degrees of control over decision-making in areas such as state laws and referenda. After comparing results with the economic and demographic data, it was discovered that people living in regions that allowed greater democracy were considerably happier than those living in regions in which individuals had less control. Don’t have kids…or if it’s too late, ditch them in a boarding school Ah, the joy of procreation. Having children is meant to be one of the most fulfilling and enlightening experiences an individual can possibly have – at least that’s what convention says. But that may not be entirely true. A recent study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior surveyed 13,000 adults across Florida, and discovered the day-to-day “joy” of looking after children is rated on par with washing the dishes. In other words, it’s not satisfying at all. While childless couples have popularly been considered to be “missing out,” Robin Simon, the associate professor of sociology at Florida State University who conducted this study, says, “The results found that parents experience significantly higher levels of depression than non-parents. What is most striking about these findings is that there is no type of parent that reports less depression than a non-parent.” A study of “Happiness Indicators” of Hong Kongers conducted by Insurance company Manulife discovered that family was the biggest influence over happiness for Hong Kong people. So it seems having children is likely to bring it’s own form of joy, but be aware that the worry of being responsible for another human being leaves you more open to depression. Join a church, or a yoga studio Religious faith seems to have a positive impact on happiness, but according to recent studies this could be due to the community spirit felt when practicing a religion rather than the actual god part of faith. A 2002 study conducted at the University of Illinois by Professors Diener and Seligman found a common trait shared by the happiest 10 percent of students at the university was strong and stable relationships with a community group - be that a religious group, a sports group or even a club or fraternity. “Word needs to be spread,” said Diener following the study. “It is important to work on social skills, close interpersonal ties and social support in order to be happy.” Indeed, clinical psychologist Dr. Gordon Li even goes so far as to suggest that being a member of a self-help group such as Alcoholics Anonymous can help lift your mood. In a recent survey in which over 1,000 Hong Kongers were asked to answer an extensive questionnaire about their religious beliefs and social activities along with questions that rated their happiness on a scale of one to ten, not only was it discovered that people who belonged to a religious group were happier, but also people who regularly participated in any social group meeting, from AA to Pilates, were significantly happier than people who did not participate in any group. As Wu explains, “It is important for people to feel they have a support network behind them and a religious or social group immediately helps you develop such a network. It’s about feeling you have people to fall back on if things don’t go your way.” Have more sex, more kisses and more hugs… Countless studies into human happiness have proved again and again that it’s human nature to pair off and that, generally, married people are happier than singles. But what about the big sex question – how much do you need and how often? Well, more than the average Hong Konger has, that’s for sure. For the forth year running, our city has officially been having less sex that the international average, according to a recent survey by condom maker Durex. Hong Kong people engage in sex 78 times a year, well behind those on the mainland and miles away from the lusty Greeks who are amorous 138 times a year (the global average is 103). According to sex therapist and radio talk show host, Angela Ng, our lack of good, regular sex could be preventing us from reaching out optimum happiness and even be affecting out health. “People need to understand that having a satisfactory sex life is important to their well being,” she explains. “Hong Kong is a crowded, busy place and people live such busy lives. They just don’t devote enough time to having sex.” Indeed, Ng suggests that a lack of sex could be contributing to divorce and the subsequent post break-up misery. “If a couple comes to me and says they are fighting, I tell them to go home, discuss the problem and spend time having sex. After that, the relationship gets better. It is not the only solution, but a good sexual relationship helps smooth over differences and reduces the number of fights couples have.” And Dr. Sarah Ip adds, “Kisses, hugs, a touch on our heads, or any kinds of physical contact that gives you a sense of warmth will make you feel happier." Happiness is not that complicated after all. Don’t hide from the sun under an umbrella Studies after studies have shown that depression gets worse during winter when the nights becomes longer. Seasonal Affective Disorder (or, cleverly, SAD) is used to describe this phenomenon. The physiological cause of SAD is not confirmed yet, but it is speculated that it has to do with the levels of serotonin in our bodies. “Weather affects our mood. For example, people in general feel bad during rainy days. It could be the inconvenience caused…but I think people are just predisposed to love the sunlight,” says Dr. Ip. The big money question They say money can’t buy happiness. However, research shows that happiness is correlated with income – but it’s not how much you have; rather, what you do with it. Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert says, “Money itself doesn’t make you happy. What makes you happy is what you do with it. There are a lot of data that suggests experiences are better than durable goods.” Not only do experiences make us happier than possessions, but it seems a feeling of well being is dependent not on the wealth itself but on the relative wealth of a person to their neighbors. Recent research shows that people in China and Vietnam are happier than people in Hong Kong, even though they earn much less than we do. Also, despite the fact that Japan moved from being one of the poorest to one of the wealthiest nations in the world between 1958 and 1987, there was no noticeable change in peoples’ overall level of happiness. As Dr. Sarah Ip explains, “In my opinion, money is irrelevant to happiness. Of course, financial problems can be a headache - but being rich also brings a lot of troubles like extramarital affairs or family feuds.” Indeed, numerous studies have proved that it is more the envy of your neighbor’s possessions that makes you unhappy, rather than the lack of material possessions itself. “Happiness is by comparison. People can be poor and happy if everyone else is similarly poor. Conversely, you feel bad when you believe everyone is richer than you,” says Ip. Does winning the lottery automatically make you happy? Like passion, the elated feeling wanes pretty soon. Psychologist Philip Brickman and his associates interviewed 22 winners of major US lotteries. For most winners, the elated feeling usually fades after a few months and the winner returns to his or her previous level of happiness. Happiness is thus not the result of being rich, but a temporary consequence of having recently become richer. “Like dipping your finger in cold water, you feel cold initially - but after a while, you desensitize and no longer feel uncomfortable,” explains Brickman. Unfortunately, the same applies to happiness – after a dramatic windfall people quickly adapt to their new way of life before returning to an average feeling of happiness with the same highs and lows as before their win. Besides desensitization, winning the lottery won’t bring you much happiness if you don’t know how to manage your new wealth. Take the Hong Kong construction worker who won millions on the lottery a few years ago – he rapidly spent all his money and has now been forced to return to the construction site to earn a living. Eat Yourself Happy Hong Kong dietitian Sylvia Lam gives us her tips on how to eat your way to happiness. Bananas: Contain high levels of tryptophan and vitamin B6, which produce serotonin, the happy hormone in your brain. Bananas also contain lots of carbohydrates, which act as a quick boost of energy when blood sugar is low. Oily fish (tuna, salmon, herrings and sardines): Extensive research shows that long-chain omega 3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA help brain cells perform better. Also, a circulating hormone, eicosanoids, which is derived from omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, appears to play a vital role in the brain, particularly in areas thought to regulate mood. Turkey: The richest meat source of tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is converted into serotonin. Whole grain foods (whole meal or rye bread, oatmeal, high fiber cereal): Whole grain foods contain slowly releasing carbohydrates that can continuously supply a steady amount of sugar, thus producing steady serotonin levels. Whole grains can also prolong satiety to prevent hunger. Nuts and Flaxseed: These are a good source of omega 6 and 3 fatty acids, which help to produce essential oils including EPA and DHA, helping to balance neurotransmissions within the brain. Chocolate: A large amount of chocolate many lead to overweight or obesity causing depression but in small doses, chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can actually help improve your mood. Coco mass increases the level of serotonin and endorphins, which are the happy hormones in our brain. A chemical in chocolate called phenylethylamine has also been linked to the feeling of being in love. If that wasn’t persuasion enough, the sweetness of chocolate stimulates the taste buds, which indirectly give us a sense of well being. Bad foods Caffeine: An excessive intake of caffeine can exacerbate stress in the long run as the peak stimulating effect of caffeine can only last for approximately 30 minutes. However, caffeine can only be totally eliminated from your body after four hours. If you drink it too late in the day, it could affect your sleeping pattern, causing tiredness and irritability the next day. Limit your caffeine intake to three cups (240ml per cup) per day and avoid it four hours before sleep. Refined carbohydrates: These are found in white bread, candies, donuts, scones, biscuits, sugary drinks, juices or sports drinks like Gatorade and Pocari Sweat. They can rapidly increase blood sugar levels, but will not sustain them, causing a bad mood when your sugar levels drop as quickly as they rose. Philosophies of the Happiest People in Hong Kong… “Work with aging, don’t work against it.” Tsim Sui-man, Artist “Fame or money doesn’t make me happy. I just like to be surrounded by cool people.” Daniel Wu, Actor “The world keeps spinning so get your ass moving.” Dan Lau, Actor “Look for hope in everything. That’s my only philosophy.” Selina Chow, Liang Shuk-yee, Politician “The happiest people come from the poorest country. They lead communal lives that are full of humanity.” Simon Yam Tat-wah, Actor “Our ultimate desire is to be happy. When you buy something, you want to be happy. I am happy when I see my daughter laughing and giggling.” Donnie Yan, Actor “Hong Kong makes me happy because it is a place where you don’t need to drive a mile to spend your hard earned money.” Mani Fok, Artist Manager “When I feel down, I first stop and ask myself whether I am hungry or tired.” Anthony Wong, Actor “If you want to cry, just cry.” John Woo, Director “Nothing keeps me awake at night.” Chris Patten, Ex-governor of Hong Kong